Gorgeous Crater Lake

Monday, June 19, 2017

There is just no other way to describe this beautiful clean, clear lake.  The Lake was originally named Deep Blue Lake when it was discovered by John Wesley Hillman in the 1850’s.  It became a national park in 1902 thanks to the persistence of William Gladstone Steel whose imagination had been captured by it as a teenager.  As an adult, he launched a crusade to make it a National Park that took 12 typewriters and 17 years of his life to achieve.  In 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt made it the nation’s fifth national park.

Our drive to Crater Lake took us about an hour taking us down a back country two lane road to the South Entrance to the Park.  This is the only entrance open at this time of year due to the amount of snow still present at the higher elevations.  After you enter the Park, you drive another 7 or eight miles before you come to the entrance where you pay.  We love having our Senior Pass because not only do we get in free but today we do not have to wait behind all those who do have to pay.  Here at this entrance is a small store which we bypass in favor of getting to the top quickly. 

We arrive at the Steel Visitor Center where we view a 22 minute video about Crater Lake.  Very interesting and informative.  The Lake was formed 7,700 years ago when the Mount Mazama volcano erupted and the center fell into itself forming a large caldera which over the years was filled with water from rain and snow melt.  A later eruption formed Wizard Island, a cinder cone that rises from the water.  There are no streams into or out of this lake making it one of four of the cleanest and clearest lakes in the world.  The Lake is 1,943 feet deep making it the deepest lake in the United States.   It is so clear that they can see clearly for 143 feet down.  The intense blue color is due to its great depth and purity. 

We had hoped to take the Trolley around the Lake but it will not be running until July 1 so we opt for our own drive around and walk around the open area taking pictures as we go.  There is a lovely old lodge here as well.  

I thought the wall coverings here were interesting.

Looking across the driveway from stairs of the Lodge.

We had to ford the snow in order to get up near the rock walls that surround the lake in order to take pictures.  Kids are having a good time sliding down the snow banks and throwing snowballs.  As you can see from some of the pictures below, snow is still quite high in places.  They get about 45 feet of snow here during the winter. 

More adventures tomorrow.